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These Bunny Buns are not only irresistibly cute, but they are also incredibly easy to make! Perfect for a fun family activity, you can follow along with our step-by-step video tutorial to create these delightful treats in no time.

Cute and Delicious: Crafting Bunny Buns with Your Kids

If Steamed Custard Buns (Nai Wong Bao) and liu sha bao (lava buns) can grace the dim sum menu, then why not include these adorable Bunny Buns as well?

As culinary trends evolve, people are looking for more than just traditional options like red bean paste buns and steamed pork buns.

Diners now crave a delightful array of buns, from Mini Red Bean Buns to playful Piggy Buns.

Today, we’re diving into the world of Bunny Buns!

The inspiration for making Bunny Buns came to me one day, and I instantly knew my two little girls would be enchanted by them.

After all, who can resist such cute creations?

True to my expectations, they were thrilled and eagerly rushed to help me in the kitchen.

There’s something incredibly heartwarming about cooking with my daughters. Whenever I prepare a dough-based dish, I love seeing their excitement as they want to join in.

Once we finished shaping the buns, they couldn’t stop gushing about how adorable they were, even declaring they couldn’t bear to eat them!

To add a touch of whimsy, I used cactus fruit powder (仙人掌果粉) to create a lovely pink dough for the flowers that would adorn our bunny creations.

I used a mold to cut out the flower shapes, but you can easily skip this step if you prefer a simpler design.

When it comes to shaping the bunnies, I highly recommend watching my video tutorial. It can be quite challenging to convey the details through text alone, and a visual guide will make the process much easier and more enjoyable.

These Bunny Buns not only make for a fun cooking project but also add a delightful touch to any meal. Whether you’re serving them at a gathering or just enjoying a cozy family dinner, these whimsical buns are sure to bring smiles to everyone’s faces.

Ingredients:

Main Ingredients
300g all-purpose flour
180g warm milk
15g granulated sugar
3g yeast
1 tsp (5g) lard

Additional Ingredients
5g cactus fruit powder (or other edible colorant) (optional)
32 red beans (as needed, for decorating the eyes)

Instructions:

Prepare the Dough

In a clean container, pour in 180g of warm milk.
Add 15g of granulated sugar and stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved in the milk.
Next, sprinkle in 3g of yeast and stir again, ensuring the yeast is well combined with the milk and sugar mixture.
Gradually pour the mixture into a large bowl containing 300g of all-purpose flour, stirring with chopsticks or a spoon until the flour is mostly moistened and forms a flaky texture.
Incorporate 1 tsp (5g) of lard into the flaky dough, then begin kneading the dough by hand until it becomes smooth and elastic.

Add Color to the Dough

Take a small portion of dough weighing about 30g. Add approximately 5g of cactus fruit powder (or your chosen colorant) to this piece and knead until the dough turns a uniform pink color. This will be used to create flowers for decorating the buns.

Shape the Bunny Buns (refer to the video for guidance)

Divide the remaining dough into 16 equal pieces and shape each piece into small balls.
Roll one small piece of dough into a long shape, about 8-10 centimeters in length. This will form the body of the bunny.
Use a bamboo skewer or another sharp tool to press two shallow marks on both sides of the head, creating the bunny’s ears.
Insert three holes with the bamboo skewer: two for the eyes and one for the mouth.
Take two red beans and gently press them into the eye holes to create the bunny’s eyes.
Use a fork to press several marks on the bottom of the bunny’s body to form the paw prints. The paw prints can be slightly larger for better stability when the bunny stands.
Cut small flower shapes from the pink dough using a mold and place the flowers on the bunny’s ears for an adorable finishing touch.

Proof the Buns

Place the shaped bunny buns in a warm area to proof. You can add warm water (around 30-40°C) to a steamer, then place the buns on the steaming rack and cover with a lid. Ensure the water temperature is not too high to avoid scalding the dough.
Allow the buns to proof for about 30 minutes, or until they noticeably increase in size and become fluffier.

Steam the Bunny Buns

After proofing, do not remove the buns from the steamer. Instead, turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil.
Once boiling, start timing and steam the buns for 12 minutes.
When the steaming time is complete, turn off the heat but do not open the pot lid immediately. Let the buns sit for 3 minutes. This helps prevent them from shrinking due to sudden cooling, keeping them fluffy.
Print Pin

Steamed Bunny Buns Recipe

These Bunny Buns are not only irresistibly cute, but they are also incredibly easy to make! Perfect for a fun family activity, you can follow along with our step-by-step video tutorial to create these delightful treats in no time.

Course Breakfast
Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 262kcal
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
300 g all-purpose flour
180 g warm milk
15 g granulated sugar
3 g yeast
1 tsp 5g lard
Additional Ingredients
5 g cactus fruit powder or other edible colorant (optional)
32 red beans as needed, for decorating the eyes
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
In a clean container, pour in 180g of warm milk.
Add 15g of granulated sugar and stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved in the milk.
Next, sprinkle in 3g of yeast and stir again, ensuring the yeast is well combined with the milk and sugar mixture.
Gradually pour the mixture into a large bowl containing 300g of all-purpose flour, stirring with chopsticks or a spoon until the flour is mostly moistened and forms a flaky texture.
Incorporate 1 tsp (5g) of lard into the flaky dough, then begin kneading the dough by hand until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Add Color to the Dough
Take a small portion of dough weighing about 30g. Add approximately 5g of cactus fruit powder (or your chosen colorant) to this piece and knead until the dough turns a uniform pink color. This will be used to create flowers for decorating the buns.
Shape the Bunny Buns (refer to the video for guidance)
Divide the remaining dough into 16 equal pieces and shape each piece into small balls.
Roll one small piece of dough into a long shape, about 8-10 centimeters in length. This will form the body of the bunny.
Use a bamboo skewer or another sharp tool to press two shallow marks on both sides of the head, creating the bunny’s ears.
Insert three holes with the bamboo skewer: two for the eyes and one for the mouth.
Take two red beans and gently press them into the eye holes to create the bunny’s eyes.
Use a fork to press several marks on the bottom of the bunny’s body to form the paw prints. The paw prints can be slightly larger for better stability when the bunny stands.
Cut small flower shapes from the pink dough using a mold and place the flowers on the bunny's ears for an adorable finishing touch.
Proof the Buns
Place the shaped bunny buns in a warm area to proof. You can add warm water (around 30-40°C) to a steamer, then place the buns on the steaming rack and cover with a lid. Ensure the water temperature is not too high to avoid scalding the dough.
Allow the buns to proof for about 30 minutes, or until they noticeably increase in size and become fluffier.
Steam the Bunny Buns
After proofing, do not remove the buns from the steamer. Instead, turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil.
Once boiling, start timing and steam the buns for 12 minutes.
When the steaming time is complete, turn off the heat but do not open the pot lid immediately. Let the buns sit for 3 minutes. This helps prevent them from shrinking due to sudden cooling, keeping them fluffy.
Video

Nutrition
Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 58IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg